Tuesday, May 24, 2016

TUPELO, Miss (WTVA)--Tupelo Airport Officials are hoping to get money from the Federal Aviation Administration to refurbish its parallel taxiway service.Tupelo Airport Authority Director Cliff Nash met with potential contractors this afternoon in a pre-bid meeting where specific details about the work was presented.Nash says the work will cost in the the high six figures.He adds that the work is much-needed as part of the taxiway is starting to crack badly and the work is best handled in the summer.Original article can be found here: http://www.wtva.com

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - With wait times at major airports, including Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, up to three hours for domestic flights, a lot of people are taking another look at traveling from small regional airports."It's really easy in and out particularly with the rental car and getting through security, it's a breeze," said Scott Burgess who was flying out of Albany for the first time.'A breeze' isn't normally the words travelers use these days to describe security checks at airports."TSA is a nightmare. Albany is easy. We fly from here to Atlanta and go from there," said frequent flyer Zach McBrayer"It really takes five minutes to get an individual through." explained ABY Transportation Director David HamiltonIt's actually less than five minutes, most people just walked right up to the front of the line.That's the reason McBrayer, who flies monthly, picked Albany."Uh, it's simple you just walk in and go through security and you are done," said McBrayer."And that's a whole lot better than what's going on now in the larger airports where it takes two and a half to three hours so we are encouraging everyone to fly out of Albany," explained Hamilton. "I'm going to Portland, Maine and it happened to be cheaper today here than to fly out of Panama City," said traveler Jim Hall.Higher prices at smaller regional airports can lead many people to pick a larger airport.But, Hamilton said that's really not the case."When you look at parking, the time it takes to go through the lines, I think you will find it's a lot cheaper," explained HamiltonMaybe cheaper, but definitely quicker."It's so much simpler especially for older people to not have to make that trip in the first place but the shorter security check-in is really good," said traveler Patricia Page.Delta currently has three daily commuter flights from Albany to Atlanta at 5:30 in the morning, noon and 6 p.m., with the last returning flight to Albany arriving at 9:30 p.m.Story and video: http://www.walb.com

The Wall Street JournalBy Robert WallMay 24, 2016 5:30 a.m. ETAirbus Group SE executives are trying to end what has become an unwanted annual rite: the plane maker’s scramble to hit its year-end jet-delivery promise.Last December, the company cranked out 79 aircraft, a record monthly output that represented about 12% of its annual total. The feat provided last-minute relief for anxious investors, who had started to worry Airbus would miss its 2015 goal. The company ended up meeting it, but had to pull the corporate equivalent of an all-nighter to make it happen.In 2014, it kept investors on the edge of their seats, too. It delivered 75 aircraft in December—again, about 12% of its annual output—to meet its yearly output promise. It was largely the same drill the two previous years.“It is certainly a frustration for us,” said Tom Williams, chief operating officer at Airbus’s jetliner unit. “We need to do better.”

Airbus’s year-end frenzy has helped it deliver consistently on its annual promises. Airbus delivered 635 aircraft last year, six more than in 2014. That marked the 13th year in a row of higher output for the Toulouse, France-based company.But the last-minute push has long irked investors and customers. Plane deliveries are closely linked to cash flow, so investors take Airbus’s annual output more seriously than its orders. They prize consistent deliveries through the year—the sort of steady output for which rival Boeing Co. is better known.So far this year, it is off to another slow start. The company has promised a record for 2016, forecasting 650 plane deliveries. But in January, it only finished 22 of those, or 3.4%. At the end of April, it had delivered only 177 planes, or 27% of its annual goal.That has hit cash flow hard, and Airbus’s share price. On April 28, Airbus reported net cash outflows of €3 billion ($3.37 billion), largely a result of lagging deliveries. Investors reacted badly, sending shares down 4.6% that day.With a record backlog of jet orders, Airbus plans to boost production sharply in coming years to meet that demand. Mr. Williams says Airbus can no longer afford the late-year rush. Buyers are also eager for steady output.“Customers want certainty when the aircraft is going to be ready,” said John Leahy, chief operating officer for customers at Airbus. “From a production point of view, we need to smooth this out.”It won’t be easy, and officials are already acknowledging they expect another scramble this winter. After the annual December rush, Airbus typically has to give workers time off to recover, inevitably putting the company behind early in the next year.Airbus’s complex industrial structure, which spans Europe, is also partly to blame. Wings are built in the U.K., and other big sections of the airplanes in France and Germany. The countries have different vacation periods, which Mr. Williams said leads to different downtimes. That reverberates through the production system, disrupts parts flow, and can affect when planes are ready.This year, there is added worry about Airbus’s promise. It has already shifted deliveries of some of its newest planes, the A320neo, a single-aisle plane with a new engine configuration, to the second half of the year. That will give it and engine supplier Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp. , more time as they muddle through the inevitable learning curve of putting together a new model.It has delivered only four A350 long-range jets in the first three months against a full-year target of at least 50. Airbus is wrestling with supplier problems on the model.Airbus is exploring ways to change the way it builds planes to make the process more clock-work-like. The company hasn’t disclosed what steps it is considering—a sensitive topic among its workforce, since any big changes in the manufacturing process could affects jobs. Airbus says only it will first consult with staff before making any adjustments.Airbus rival Boeing surprised investors when it said it would build fewer planes this year, between 740 to 745, than the 762 jets it shipped last year. But the Chicago-based giant will still far outstrip Airbus in deliveries this year, holding on to the title of the world’s largest plane maker.Boeing has done a better job smoothing out production. It delivered 53 planes in December, or about 8% of annual output. The U.S. plane maker isn't encumbered by Airbus’s complex multination setup and also operates with more flexible labor rules. It delivered 176 planes in the first quarter.Original article can be found here: http://www.wsj.com

Residents in Bethesda’s Tulip Hill neighborhood, Cabin John and Potomac say new flight patterns of planes out of Reagan National Airport have brought a noticeable increase in noise and disruption over the past year and a half.The Bethesda and Potomac residents, some who have organized an informal group of about 20 asking for changes, say noise from planes flying over their neighborhoods, sometimes low enough they can see landing gear, is so loud it stops outdoor conversations and prevents them from going to sleep.“I understand the airspace is [Federal Aviation Administration] property, but I think to fly all the planes over one neighborhood really isn’t right,” said Mary Britt, who said she has lived in the Tulip Hill neighborhood for 14 years. “I’m just shocked that my beautiful suburb here has had to take so many planes.”Britt said she and other neighbors are accustomed to planes headed north out of Reagan flying above the nearby Potomac River, but that last year she began noticing as many as 30 planes per hour flying over the neighborhood.The new flight paths, implemented in 2015, allow aircraft to fly over parts of Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland as part of a more efficient computerized guiding system known as NextGen. Residents in Northern Virginia and D.C. neighborhoods including Georgetown and Foggy Bottom have also complained of increased noise.On May 5, Rep. Chris Van Hollen sent a letter to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta chronicling complaints he’s heard from residents and asking why the FAA didn’t advise his office of the flight path changes.“I understand that these changes, resulting from the implementation of NextGen, were designed to improve the efficiency of flight operations,” Van Hollen wrote. “However, their effect on nearby communities has been dramatic and has created an unacceptable and untenable situation for constituents whose homes lie below the flight path.”Ken Hartman, director of Montgomery County’s Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, is representing the county at a community roundtable group organized by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), which operates Reagan National Airport.Hartman met with Britt and other community members last week to hear their concerns and the roundtable group is set to meet Thursday afternoon at Reagan to discuss Montgomery County-related plane noise issues.Hartman said part of the issue is the computerized guiding system sends many more flights over neighborhoods than before.“Planes that are headed east or south all come up the Potomac, fly over Cabin John, then make a turn over Bethesda, up Goldsboro Road over Bethesda and they’re gaining altitude the entire time,” Hartman said.He said residents in the Woodrock neighborhood of Potomac just off MacArthur Boulevard have also complained about planes that head up the Potomac River and turn west.“We’re hearing a lot of anecdotal reports from people saying planes are flying lower than before and we’re trying to get to the bottom of it,” Hartman said. He said the county also didn’t get notification from the FAA of an environmental assessment associated with the flight path changes.“So Montgomery County government, and it sounds like Van Hollen’s office were left completely out of the picture and now we’re left handling complaints,” Hartman said.An MWAA or FAA spokesperson couldn’t be reached for comment. The MWAA’s website includes a radar tracker of flights in and out of the airport delayed by an hour. It shows how loud the planes are in terms of decibels with trackers placed throughout the region.Tulip Hill resident Susan Lanham said she noticed the increased plane noise in March 2015 and that “the low altitude is especially bothersome.”Van Hollen wrote that residents have complained about planes disrupting their sleep, even when their windows are closed.“As soon as one plane completes its flyover, another plane approaches,” one resident told Van Hollen. “Often, there is more than one plane over the neighborhood at the same time, flying in different directions at different altitudes.”“Our life is now as if we are living directly below a runway above our home,” another resident wrote to Van Hollen.Hartman said the county will push for changing some of the waypoints on the flight paths. Britt, who said the planes will begin flying over Tulip Hill from about 5 a.m. hour until midnight, said she hopes for a similar result.“Do I have to live in a neighborhood with nonstop planes over my street? I just feel the planes have no respect for our neighborhood,” Britt said. Original article can be found here: http://www.bethesdamagazine.com

NTSB Identification: ERA16FA19414 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Tuesday, May 24, 2016 in Rhoadesville, VAProbable Cause Approval Date: 09/06/2017Aircraft: JIHLAVAN AIRPLANES SRO KP 5 ASA, registration: N440JMInjuries: 2 Fatal.NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.The sport pilot had recently purchased the airframe-parachute-equipped light sport airplane and was receiving instruction in it to satisfy insurance requirements. Radar data indicated that, during the flight, the airplane's groundspeed decreased from 94 to 62 knots, consistent with airwork including slow flight and stall practice. Subsequently, several witnesses observed the airplane descending nose-down with the parachute still attached, but with the canopy only partially inflated, before the airplane impacted terrain. The parachute handle was located on the left side of the instrument panel, and the sport pilot likely activated the parachute due to inadvertent spin entry. The previous owner of the airplane stated that he had to be vigilant during stall practice because the airplane always seemed to yaw abruptly right and into a spin, more so than any other airplane he had flown.The parachute attached to the airframe via four risers. Two of the risers shared a front anchor attached to the aluminum bulkhead behind the seats. The other two risers attached to a rear anchor located at each wing root. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the two front risers remained attached to the shared front anchor but that the anchor had separated from the airframe. The two rear risers had separated in overstress. The front anchor was designed to carry the majority load. The remaining two rear risers were designed to stabilize the airplane in an optimal descent attitude and could not carry the full load if the front anchor failed. Metallurgical examination of the separated front anchor revealed that it had been bolted into aluminum bulkhead skin that was about 0.022-inch thick. Although the anchor and seven of its eight bolts remained intact, the surrounding aluminum skin of the airplane had separated from the airplane in overstress. Without any additional supporting structure such as longerons, stringers, or bathtub fittings, it is likely the thin aluminum skin could not withstand the force applied to the front anchor during parachute deployment. The investigation noted that the first in-flight deployment of the parachute on the make and model airplane was on the accident airplane during the accident flight. During certification, one test deployment was performed on the ground. Further, the airplane manufacturer was unable to provide any data or testing of the amount of shock force the surrounding aluminum skin could withstand during deployment.The airplane's maximum takeoff weight was 1,279 lbs. According to the parachute manufacturer, the parachute could be deployed at a maximum weight of 1,350 lbs and a maximum speed of 138 mph. A representative of the parachute manufacturer stated that, although the engine should be off during parachute deployment, it did not have as significant an effect on deployment as airplane speed and weight. Although the airplane was about 50 lbs over its maximum takeoff weight at the time of deployment, it was under the parachute manufacturer maximum weight of 1,350 lbs. Additionally, the pilot likely activated the parachute in the early stages of a spin and closer to stall speed, significantly slower than the 138-mph parachute limit.The sport pilot had chronic pain treated with multiple medications, including Methadone, an impairing opioid medication, which was detected in blood at levels consistent with chronic use. Further, the sport pilot had insomnia and depression treated with quetiapine and doxepin, both of which are sedating medications. The pilot's recent use of the combination of two potentially impairing medications likely impaired his cognitive and psychomotor function to some degree. However, the investigation could not determine if the pilot's impairment led to a situation that required activation of the parachute. Additionally, there was no evidence that the decision to activate the parachute was inappropriate. Therefore, it is likely that the pilot was impaired by the combination of medications, but there is no evidence that his impairment contributed to the cause of the accident.The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:The pilots' loss of control that necessitated the activation of the parachute system and the airplane manufacturer's inadequate design of the front parachute anchor attachment structure, which resulted in a failure of the parachute after it was deployed in flight and precluded the pilots from safely recovering from the spin.The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.Additional Participating Entity:Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Richmond, VirginiaAviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfInvestigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

http://registry.faa.gov/N440JMNTSB Identification: ERA16FA19414 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Tuesday, May 24, 2016 in Rhoadesville, VAAircraft: JIHLAVAN AIRPLANES SRO KP 5 ASA, registration: N440JMInjuries: 2 Fatal.NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 24, 2016, about 1625 eastern daylight time, an experimental light sport Jihlavan KP 5 ASA (Skyleader 500), N440JM, was destroyed when it impacted terrain in Rhoadesville, Virginia. The sport pilot/owner and the flight instructor were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated from Culpeper Regional Airport (CJR), Culpeper, Virginia, about 1530. The instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91.The sport pilot had recently purchased the airplane and had another pilot ferry it from California to CJR. The airplane arrived at CJR on May 13, 2016. According to an insurance adjuster, the sport pilot had less than 5 hours of flight experience in the make and model airplane. Therefore, his insurance policy required that he receive a "checkout" flight by a certificated flight instructor. The flight was required to include a minimum of 2 hours dual instruction with 15 takeoffs and landings. When the sport pilot inquired about obtaining flight instruction, the airport manager at CJR referred him to the flight instructor.According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data, no air traffic control services were provided to the flight. Radar returns indicated that, after departing CJR, the airplane flew southwest to Orange County Airport (OMH), Orange, Virginia. There, radar indications disappeared and reappeared four times, consistent with approaches below radar coverage to runway 26. After the fourth approach, the airplane proceeded northeast and later turned east before disappearing from radar. There were no altitude readouts from the airplane during the entire flight. As the airplane traveled east toward the end of the data, the groundspeed slowed from 94 to 62 knots, consistent with slow flight and stall practice. The last target was recorded near the accident site at 1624:28.According to several witnesses near the accident site, they heard what sounded like thunder or a "crack." They then saw a parachute deployment and the airplane's nose pointed straight down before impacting the ground. Witnesses could not determine the airplane's altitude at the time other than that it was low, nor could they report whether the engine was operating.One witness provided a photograph of the airplane descending with the parachute still attached and partially inflated.PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot, age 57, held a sport pilot certificate with endorsements for airplane single-engine land and powered-parachute land. He did not possess an FAA medical certificate nor was he required to. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed that he had accumulated a total flight experience of about 121 hours, of which 2.5 hours were in the accident airplane. The pilot had flown 4.5 and 0 hours during the 90- and 30-day periods preceding the accident, respectively. Further review of his logbook revealed that the 2.5 hours of experience in the accident airplane consisted of two flights on March 20, 2016, and March 22, 2016, in California. The pilot recorded those flights in his logbook as prebuy flights. During the second prebuy flight, the pilot also recorded "Slowflight Stalls" in his logbook. Additionally, the pilot recorded those two flights as dual instruction received; however, there were no accompanying endorsements from a flight instructor. Other than the 2.5 hours in the accident airplane, the pilot did not have any prior experience in the accident airplane make and model.The flight instructor, age 81, held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multiengine land. He also held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and airplane single-engine sea. Additionally, he held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on March 1, 2016. Review of the flight instructor's logbook revealed that he had accumulated a total flight experience of about 32,840 hours, of which 100 and 43 hours were flown during the 90- and 30-day periods preceding the accident, respectively. There was no record of the flight instructor having any prior experience in the accident airplane make and model.AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe two-seat, low-wing, retractable tricycle landing gear-equipped airplane, serial number 5141163M, was manufactured in 2007. It was powered by a Rotax 914 UL, 115-horsepower engine, equipped with a DUC Swirl ground-adjustable three-blade propeller. The airplane was issued an FAA special light sport aircraft (S-LSA) airworthiness certificate in 2008, which was superseded by an FAA experimental light sport aircraft (E-LSA) airworthiness certificate in 2010. According to the previous owner of the airplane, he chose to have the airplane subsequently recertified as an E-LSA, rather than an S-LSA because he could perform more of the maintenance work himself under the E-LSA certification. The previous owner further stated that he had to be vigilant during stall practice because the airplane always seemed to yaw abruptly right and into a spin, more so than any other airplane he had ever flown. The airplane's maximum gross takeoff weight was 1,279 lbs.Review of the airplane's logbook revealed that its most recent annual condition inspection was completed on May 6, 2016. At that time, the airframe and engine had accumulated 534 hours since new.Review of the airplane's Pilot's Operating Handbook revealed, "Acrobatic, intentionally driven stalls and spins are prohibited!"The airplane was equipped with a Galaxy Rescue Systems (GRS) ballistic parachute. According to the manufacturer label, the model parachute could be deployed at a maximum weight of 1,350 lbs and maximum speed of 138 mph. Review of the parachute manual revealed instructions for the engine to be turned off before activation. The parachute attached to the airframe via four risers (cables) and three anchors. Two of the risers shared an anchor (front) attached by eight bolts with nuts to the aluminum bulkhead behind the seats. The other two risers (rear) attached to an anchor located at each wing root near the trailing edge of the wing. According to a representative of the parachute manufacturer, the double-riser front anchor was designed to carry the majority load. The remaining two rear risers were designed to stabilize the airplane in an optimal descending attitude and could not carry the full load if the double-riser front anchor failed. Specifically, the double-riser front anchor could withstand a maximum shock/load of 40.1 kiloNewtons [kN] (9,015 pounds of force [lbf]), and the two rear risers could withstand a maximum shock/load of 13.3 kN (2,990 lbf) each. The representative added that the data were for the anchors and risers and that data for the actual anchor-to-airframe attachment would have to be provided by the airplane manufacturer.The GRS also included a drogue parachute to assist in main parachute deployment. The parachute manufacturer representative further stated that, although the engine should be off during parachute deployment, it did not have a significant effect on the parachute deployment. Rather, airplane speed and weight had a greater effect on the parachute deployment and performance.According to a representative of the airplane manufacturer, the first in-flight deployment of the parachute on the make and model airplane was on the accident airplane during the accident flight. During certification, one test deployment was performed on the ground. The representative further stated that they could not perform additional testing on the front anchor attachment because the design had been changed about 8 years before the accident. The current design (Skyleader 600) included two front anchors rather than one. The manufacturer no longer had any airplanes with a single front anchor to test.METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONOrange County Airport (OMH), Orange, Virginia, was located about 9 miles west of the accident site. The 1635 recorded weather at OMH included calm wind, visibility 10 miles, and scattered clouds at 11,000 ft.WRECKAGE INFORMATIONThe wreckage was located in open terrain at an elevation of about 400 ft. The airplane was found upside down and complete with the exception of some smaller pieces that were found nearby. When the airplane was righted, significant fore-to-aft crushing damage was noted to the nose section and to both wings.The airplane was subsequently moved to a temporary storage facility where it was laid out, and the presence of all flight control surfaces was confirmed, as was control continuity from each flight control surface to the cockpit controls.At the accident scene, the drogue parachute was found in a nearby field, and the main parachute was found in trees about 100 yards east of the wreckage. At the temporary storage facility, the parachute's fabric canopy was spread out and observed to be undamaged. The two individual risers that had been attached to wing anchors were found separated near their respective anchors with the wire ends broomstrawed, consistent with overload separation. The other two risers were found still attached to their shared single anchor; however, that anchor was itself separated from the airframe. The cockpit parachute activation handle, located on the pilot's side of the instrument panel, appeared to have been pulled (system was activated.)An engine monitoring system (EMS), electronic flight information system (EFIS), and engine control unit (ECU) were retained and forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory. Attempted data download from the units revealed that the EMS and EFIS did not record any data; however, data were successfully downloaded and plotted from the ECU. Review of the data revealed that the ECU recorded about the last 20 minutes of the accident flight. About 11 minutes before the end of the data, the engine rpm averaged about 2,000, consistent with the last approach and landing. Subsequently, the engine rpm averaged between 4,000 and 5,000 to the end of the data.Metallurgical examination of the two separated risers revealed overstress features. Additionally, pull-testing of the separated risers revealed that they exceeded their design specification by about 1,000 lbf. Metallurgical examination of the separated anchor revealed that it had been bolted into aluminum bulkhead skin that was approximately 0.022-inch thick. Although the anchor and seven of its eight bolts remained intact, the surrounding aluminum skin of the airplane had separated, consistent with overstress. There were no longerons, stringers, or bathtub fittings to transfer the parachute deployment loads into the airframe. The airplane manufacturer was unable to provide any data or testing of the amount of shock force the surrounding aluminum skin could withstand (for more information, see the Materials Laboratory Factual Report and Structures Group Chairman's Factual Report in the public docket for this investigation).MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe State of Virginia Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Manassas, Virginia, conducted autopsies on the pilot and flight instructor. The autopsy reports noted the cause of death for both pilots as "blunt force trauma."The FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing of specimens from the pilot and flight instructor. The results for the flight instructor were negative for alcohol and drugs. The results for the pilot were as follows:"Carvedilol detected in LiverCarvedilol detected in BloodDoxazosin detected in LiverDoxazosin detected in Blood2.099 (ug/mL, ug/g) Doxepin detected in Liver0.451 (ug/mL, ug/g) Doxepin detected in BloodMethadone detected in LiverNordoxepin detected in LiverNordoxepin detected in Blood0.592 (ug/mL, ug/g) Quetiapine detected in LiverQuetiapine NOT detected in BloodBlood unsuitable for analysis of Methadone."According to the pilot's personal medical records, his chronic medical conditions included obstructive sleep apnea, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and benign prostatic hypertrophy; these were all reportedly controlled, and the treatments are generally considered not to be impairing. In addition, he had an unspecified clotting disorder treated and controlled with apixaban. Because of the clotting disorder and bleeding into his muscles, he had severe myositis ossificans (bone formation in the muscle tissue), which resulted in limited range of motion and chronic pain treated with the impairing opioid medications methadone and oxycodone. The pilot had a remote history of strokes and heart disease, but no abnormal findings were documented on recent neurological and cardiac examinations. Further, the autopsy did not identify any significant natural disease in the heart or brain. Finally, he had a history of insomnia and depression treated with the impairing medications seroquel and doxepin. Although there was no evidence of depression on recent examinations, both psychoactive medications had been prescribed specifically for their sedating effects.Title 14 CFR Part 61.23(c)(1) allows sport pilots to use a valid and current U.S. driver's license in lieu of a medical certificate. However, further review of 61.23(c)(2)(iv) revealed that the sport pilot must "Not know or have reason to know of any medical condition that would make that person unable to operate a light-sport aircraft in a safe manner."ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONAccording to the manufacturer, the airplane's basic empty weight was 819.82 lbs. Review of fueling records revealed that on the day of the accident, 9.1 gallons of fuel were added to the airplane, and its total fuel capacity was 16.9 gallons (101.4 lbs). Review of autopsy reports revealed that the pilot weighed 270 lbs and that the flight instructor weighed 170 lbs, which resulted in a total airplane weight of 1,361.22 lbs, or 82.22 lbs above the airplane's maximum takeoff weight of 1,279 lbs. The airplane had flown about 1 hour before parachute deployment, and a fuel consumption rate of 5 gallons per hour corresponded to an airplane weight about 50 lbs above its maximum takeoff weight of 1,279 lbs at the time of parachute deployment.The airplane manufacturer and FAA Office of Accident Investigation, Recommendation and Analysis Division were notified about the overstress failure of the airplane structure to which the front anchor attached. A search of FAA data revealed fifteen other U.S.-registered Skyleader 500 airplanes.

NTSB Identification: ERA16FA19414 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Tuesday, May 24, 2016 in Rhoadesville, VAAircraft: JIHLAVAN AIRPLANES SRO KP 5 ASA, registration: N440JMInjuries: 2 Fatal.This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.On May 24, 2016, about 1625 eastern daylight time, an experimental light sport Jihlavan KP 5 ASA (Skyleader 500), N440JM, was destroyed when it impacted terrain in Rhoadesville, Virginia. The sport pilot/owner and the flight instructor were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight from Culpeper Regional Airport (CJR), Culpeper, Virginia. The instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to a friend of the sport pilot/owner, he had recently purchased the airplane, and had it ferried from California to CJR. The sport pilot was required by his insurance company to have 4 hours of dual operation before being able to fly the airplane solo. CJR records indicated that the airplane arrived on May 13, 2016, and the sport pilot's logbook indicated that he had flown the airplane twice on May 20, 2016, for a total of 2.5 hours, with "dual received" flight time noted for both flights. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sources, no air traffic control services were provided. However, radar returns indicated that after departing CJR about 1530, the airplane headed southwest to Orange County Airport (OMH), Orange, Virginia. There, radar indications disappeared and reappeared four times, consistent with approaches below radar coverage to runway 26. After the fourth approach, the airplane proceeded northeast, and later turned east before disappearing from radar. There were no altitude readouts from the airplane during the entire flight.According to several witnesses near the accident site, they heard what sounded like thunder or a "crack." They then saw a parachute deployment and the airplane nosed straight down before impacting the ground. Witnesses could not determine the airplane's altitude at the time other than it was low, or whether the engine was operating. The wreckage was located on open terrain in the vicinity of 38 degrees 15.917 minutes north latitude, 077 degrees, 51.465 minutes west longitude, at an elevation of about 400 feet. The airplane was found upside down and complete, with the exception of some smaller pieces in close proximity. When the airplane was righted, significant fore-to-aft crushing damage was noted to the nose section and to both wings. The airplane was subsequently moved to a temporary storage facility where it was laid out and the presence of all flight control surfaces was confirmed, as was control continuity from the each flight control surface to the cockpit controls. The airplane was equipped with a ballistic parachute system. The ballistic parachute system included a fabric canopy attached to the airframe via four metal-wire risers. Two of the risers were individually attached to the airframe via their respective anchors, while the other two risers were together attached to a third airframe anchor. A drogue parachute assisted in main parachute deployment.At the accident scene, the drogue parachute was found in a nearby field and the main parachute was found in trees about 100 yards east of the wreckage. At the temporary storage facility, the parachute's fabric canopy was spread out and observed to be undamaged. The two individual risers were found to be separated near their respective airframe anchors with the wire ends broomstrawed, consistent with overload separation. The other two risers were found still attached to their single anchor; however, that anchor was itself separated from the airframe. The cockpit parachute activation handle appeared pulled (system was activated.)The airplane was subsequently moved to a long-term aircraft storage facility. Due to the extent of observed damage and heavy mud impaction, the engine was not examined at the temporary facility but will be at the long-term facility. There were no dedicated recording devices onboard the airplane; however, there were some avionics that could have retained non-volatile data. The heavily damaged avionics were removed, and data downloads will be attempted.

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.

John Joseph Quinn Jr.

CULPEPER, Va. (WVIR) -The Culpeper community is mourning the loss of a longtime airline pilot killed in the crash of a small plane in Orange County.Virginia State Police identified 57-year-old Charles Neal Caldwell of Apopka, Florida, as the pilot and 81-year-old John Joseph “JJ” Quinn Jr. as his passenger.Authorities say Caldwell had ties to Madison County.Records from the Federal Aviation Administration show Caldwell was licensed since 2010 to fly sport planes, like the one that crashed Tuesday, May 24.Officials say Quinn, an instructor with White Hawk Aviation, and Caldwell took off from Culpeper Regional Airport about an hour before the crash at the intersection of Tinder Lane and Ridge Field Lane in Orange County.They say Caldwell had owned the Czech-made Jihlavan KP 5 ASA for about a week. The fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft was classified as experimental.Quinn was Paul Vesely's flight instructor for the past ten years. He describes the professional pilot as calm, but direct.“He was just so comfortable in what he did and his method of instruction that it made you feel comfortable behind the controls,” Vesely said.Vesely says Quinn's death is a terrible loss to the aviation community.Quinn built the original hangars at Culpeper Regional Airport with his own money to try to attract more business to the airport“He was always trying to get people to the airport. I mean, he was the best ambassador we've ever had here,” said Culpeper Regional Airport Operations Manager Neil Milofsky.He retired in the early 1990s after more than 30 years flying for United Airlines.“JJ just had this way about him. He would bring people in and make them feel at home. Even if you didn't care anything for aviation, you did after you spoke with JJ for a little while,” said Culpeper Regional Airport General Manager Tanya Woodward.The Virginia State Police along with the Medical Examiner’s Office, FAA, and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.Officials in Culpeper say Quinn radioed in to the Orange County Airport before the crash and was his usual upbeat, friendly self.Press Release from the Virginia State Police:ORANGE COUNTY - At 4:31 p.m. Tuesday (May 24, 2016), Virginia State Police were notified of a plane crash in the 1,000 block of Tinder Lane in Orange County.The plane was a 2007 Jihlavan KP 5 ASA, fixed-wing,single-engine aircraft, and was classified as experimental.The crash location was at the at the intersection of Tinder Lane and Ridge Field Lane (both are private roads) located in a rural section of Orange County near Mine Run.There were two confirmed fatalities: the pilot, Charles Neal Caldwell, 57, of Apopka, Fla., and passenger as John Joseph Quinn Jr., 81, of Culpeper, Va.The Virginia State Police along with the Medical Examiner’s Office, NTSB and FAA are investigating the incident to determine the causative factors that lead to the crash.http://www.nbc29.com

A 2011 photo of White Hawk Flight Training instructor J.J. Quinn, left, at the Culpeper County Airport and one of his many students, Bennett Miller. Quinn, 81, was the passenger in a fatal plane crash Tuesday in Orange County.

A Madison pilot with a newly bought plane was logging instruction time with a veteran flier from Culpeper when the aircraft crashed in Orange County this week, killing both, officials said.

Virginia State Police identified the victims as Charles Neal Caldwell, 57, of Apopka, Fla., and John Joseph Quinn Jr., 81, of Culpeper. But Caldwell had been living in Madison since March, according to records and the Post Office there.

Culpeper Regional Airport Manager Tanya Woodward said the yellow and blue Skyleader 500 plane had been based at that airport for the last several weeks.

Woodward said Caldwell had recently purchased the plane and needed to complete some flight time with an instructor pilot before flying on his own. With the recent run of bad weather, Tuesday was the first chance he had to fly with Quinn, a highly experienced pilot with more than 32,000 flight hours.

Quinn had been a military instructor pilot during the Vietnam War era before going to work with United Airlines.

He also volunteered with Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic, a nonprofit organization that provides medical air transport for patients who could not otherwise afford it, the Culpeper Star-Exponent reported. The National Aeronautics Association in 2014 named him the distinguished volunteer pilot of the year.

“We should all aspire to be like that in our eighties,” Woodward said.

His association with Culpeper Regional Airport began in the early 1980s. He built a 90-unit T hangar at the airport using his own money, selling it to the county about 10 years ago.

Quinn founded the Culpeper Air Squadron, helped with the Culpeper AirFest and was helped start Whitehawk Aviation, which services planes at the airport.

“We consider him our founding father,” Woodward said.

Culpeper attorney and flying enthusiast Bob Yeaman called Quinn “a good person with a heart of gold.” Yeaman said Quinn checked both him and his son, Robbie, out about a year ago for recertification purposes.

“He was a kindly man,” Yeaman said. “Instead of telling you that you were doing something wrong, he would say something like, ‘Maybe there’s a better way to do that.’”

The plane had just been delivered to Culpeper last week. The Skyleader 500 is later version of the 2007 Jihlavan KP5 ASA, a Czech-built two-seat metal aircraft certified by the FAA as experimental and a light sport aircraft but sharing the same FAA type identification.

The Skyleader 500 is later version of the 2007 Jihlavan KP5 ASA, a Czech-built two-seat metal aircraft certified by the FAA as experimental and a light sport aircraft but sharing the same FAA type identification.

Light sport aircraft fall between ultralight and other light aircraft in the FAA certification range. Aimed primarily at recreational flying, they are limited to no more than 1,320 pounds in weight, seat no more than two (pilot and passenger) and have a maximum airspeed of 138 mph.

Flying a light sport aircraft requires only a sport pilot license, not a private pilot license. A sport pilot must have a minimum of 20 hours of in-flight training, but is not required to undergo a full FAA physical exam to prove medical eligibility. Sport pilots are not allowed to fly at night, in clouds or inclement weather, and are required to fly at altitudes below 10,000 feet.

A private pilot license requires at least 40 hours in-flight training, including at least 20 hours of dual instruction and 10 hours of solo flying. The student pilot is also required to complete an FAA medical examination.

The FAA‘s Airman Certification Branch confirmed that Caldwell held only a sport pilot license.

The crash occurred shortly before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, near the intersection of Tinder Lane and Ridge Field Lane, off Mine Run Road in rural Orange County, approximately 10 miles east of the Orange County airport.

The aircraft wreckage had been cleared from the Tinder Lane site by Wednesday morning, according to state police Sgt. Les Tyler.

The NTSB is leading the investigation into the crash, and lead investigator Paul Cox of the NTSB’s eastern region said he expects to issue a preliminary report on the accident in about 10 days. That report will be available on the NTSB.gov website.

A factual report and findings of probable cause and analysis of the accident should be available in eight months or more after that.

Beloved Culpeper pilot J.J. Quinn, Jr., right, accepted a check in December for Angel Flight, a volunteer organization for which he provided hundreds of flights for the ill. He tragically died Tuesday as a passenger in a plane crash in Orange County.

An experienced and celebrated Culpeper pilot who spent the past two decades providing volunteer flights for the seriously ill tragically died Tuesday in a plane crash in Orange County.John Joseph Quinn, Jr., known to friends as “J.J.,” was the passenger in a 2007 Jihlavan KP 5 ASA fixed-wing, single-engine experimental aircraft that crashed near Mine Run at the intersection of Tinder and Ridge Field lanes after 4 p.m. in a rural section of the county. The pilot, Charles Neal Caldwell, 57, of Apopka, Florida, also died.Quinn was 81, and spent 30 years flying for United Airlines before volunteering his time and expertise with Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic, a nonprofit organization that provides medical air transport for patients who otherwise could not afford it.Quinn – recently interviewed by the Star-Exponent for its Hometown Heroes magazine – started taking flying lessons at age 15 at the Culpeper airport.Asked about his hundreds of volunteer trips with Angel Flight, he said, “I just love to fly and I love to fly the airways and what better way to do that than this. There’s a whole world that needs our services.”Quinn was a U.S. Navy veteran who flew Neptune P2V anti-submarine patrol aircraft and an aviation instructor. The National Aeronautics Association in 2014 named him the distinguished volunteer pilot of the year.The Virginia State Police along with the Medical Examiner’s Office, NTSB and FAA are investigating the incident to determine the causative factors that lead to Tuesday’s plane crash in which Quinn was killed.Senior Air Safety Investigator Paul Cox, of the NTSB’s eastern region, arrived on the scene just after 8 p.m.“The first thing we are going to do is collect perishable information—the information that is going to change once the aircraft is moved. We will probably spend a day or two on scene before the aircraft is removed,” he said.Cox said he expects to produce a preliminary accident report about 10 days after that, and it will be available on the NTSB.gov website. A factual report should be released six to eight months after that, he said, followed in two to three more months by a headquarters NTSB finding of probable cause and an analysis of the accident.Original article can be found here: http://www.dailyprogress.com

ORANGE, Va. — Virginia State Police officials have identified the two victims of a plane crash in Orange County as men from Florida and Culpeper.According to a state police news release Wednesday morning, the men killed were the pilot, Charles Neal Caldwell, 57, of Apopka, Fla., and a passenger, John Joseph Quinn Jr., 81, of Culpeper.The release said the plane was a 2007 Jihlavan KP 5 ASA, fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft, and was classified as experimental.The Virginia State Police along with the Medical Examiner’s Office, National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating to determine the cause of the crash.State police received a report at 4:31 p.m. Tuesday that the single-engine, fixed-wing plane had crashed in the 10,000 block of Tinder Lane, near the intersection with Ridge Field Lane, in the Rhoadesville area. The crash site is approximately 10 miles from the Orange County Airport.Sue Marsee, who has lived on Mine Run Road next to Tinder Lane for nearly 16 years, heard the crash.“It was the biggest crash,” she said. “Metal is what I heard. I thought it was a big truck.”Another neighbor, who also heard the crash, said it sounded like the plane “just fell from the sky.”Able to drive to the scene before the lane was cordoned off, she reported the plane was blue and yellow in color.Senior Air Safety Investigator Paul Cox, of the NTSB’s eastern region, arrived on the scene just after 8 p.m.“The first thing we are going to do is collect perishable information—the information that is going to change once the aircraft is moved. We will probably spend a day or two on scene before the aircraft is removed,” he said.Cox said he expects to produce a preliminary accident report about 10 days after that, and it will be available on the NTSB.gov website. A factual report should be released six to eight months after that, he said, followed in two to three more months by a headquarters NTSB finding of probable cause and an analysis of the accident.Original article can be found here: http://www.richmond.com

ORANGE COUNTY, Va. – Virginia State Police confirm two people are dead after a plane crash in Orange County late Tuesday afternoon.Police said the small plane crashed in the roadway along the 10000 block of Tinder Ln., near Mine Run.Reports of the crash came in around 4:30 p.m. State police are on scene investigating the crash. The FAA and NTSB have been notified.The FAA has identified the aircraft as an Jihlavan Airplanes SRO-KP5, according to NBC29. State Police said the plane is a fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft.State police are working to confirm the identification of the victims and notifying next of kin.Original article can be found here: http://wtvr.com

RHOADESVILLE, Va. - Virginia State Police said two people have died after a small plane crash in Orange County.Police said a small fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft crashing in the roadway at the intersection of Tinder Lane and Ridge Field Lane in Rhoadesville at around 4:31 p.m. Tuesday.Virginia State Police said troopers are investigating the scene. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have been notified about the crash.Original article can be found here: http://www.fox5dc.com

ORANGE Co., Va. (ABC7) — A small airplane crashed into the roadway at the intersection of Tinder Lane and Ridge Field Lane in Orange County, Va., around 4:31 p.m. Tuesday, Virginia State Police said.

VSP said the plane was a small, fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft.

There were reportedly two people on board the aircraft, and VSP confirmed that both of them died in the crash.

Police said the FAA and NTSB had both been notified of the accident.

Police also said they are still working to confirm the identities of the deceased and notifying next of kin.

RHOADESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Virginia State Police say a two people have died in a small plane crash on a road in Orange County.Spokeswoman Corinne Geller said in an email that the aircraft crashed on Tinder Lane and Ridge Field Lane in Rhoadesville about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.Geller said there are two confirmed fatalities. She described the plane as fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft.Troopers are working to confirm the identities of the two victims. Geller says federal aviation agencies have been notified.The location is about 15 miles away from the Orange County Airport.